DP Ruto, Raila bury political hatchet during Uhurus Kisumu visit

Deputy President William Ruto now says the political rivalry between himself and Opposition leader Raila Odinga has been buried for the sake of unity and development of the country.

The two leaders were spotted sharing a light moment at the Kisumu International Airport on Thursday morning while they awaited President Uhuru Kenyatta’s arrival in the lakeside city.

Sharing light moments with Deputy President @WilliamsRuto as we await the arrival of President @UKenyatta at Kisumu International Airport. pic.twitter.com/ZCWzK2rWPi

— Raila Odinga (@RailaOdinga) December 13, 2018

Speaking during the launch of the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) programme later on, DP Ruto emphasized that the handshake between President Kenyatta and Mr. Odinga had opened a new chapter of peace and unity among leaders and wananchi.

“If you see President Uhuru Kenyatta, Hon. Raila Odinga and myself together, know that everything is well. We have all agreed to walk together on a journey of uniting Kenyans on the basis of the handshake of peace and development in Kenya,” said the Deputy President.

The former Prime Minister, on his part, said his visit to Kisumu County with the President was to take the spirit of the handshake to the grassroots.

Odinga said that after a grueling General Election last year, he agreed with President Kenyatta to take steps to restore the unity that existed in Kenya during the early days of independence.

The two leaders have been going head-to-head politically since the DP ditched Mr. Odinga’s Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party to form the now defunct United Republican Party (URP).

DP Ruto would then merge with President Kenyatta’s The National Alliance (TNA) party to form the ruling government, Jubilee.

The DP has also, previously, accused the former premier of plotting to kick him out of the Jubilee Party after allegedly kicking him out of ODM.

Ruto made the remark following Mr. Odinga’s handshake with President Kenyatta, fueling talk that he was against the deal.